Furniture re-upholstery specialist Plumbs is backing the sofa scrappage scheme, which encourages consumers to trade in their non-compliant products for new British-manufactured sofas and chairs.

The scheme, launched by The Association of British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM), aims to reduce the number of sofas in UK homes which are made from highly flammable material, pre-dating 1988 safety regulations.

It’s tough to turn on the TV and avoid shows encouraging us to make money by getting rid of our belongings – Flog It! Cash in the Attic! Car Booty! All tap into our desire to end up on telly and end up with what’ll hopefully be a tidy sum in our pockets! But what if your treasured possessions are just that? New research shows nearly three quarters of people say they believe furniture has sentimental value.

73% of people believe furniture has sentimental value

A fifth of people would never sell an old family treasure to try and make some cash

Two thirds of people would rather bring a piece of furniture back to life and have a piece of family history than by something new

But despite feeling sentimental, around 30% of people don’t think their kids or relatives would take a piece of furniture if it was handed down!

There’s no denying that seeing a piece of furniture owned by a relative can evoke memories of being a child, or times gone past and 45% of us say we have a piece of furniture in the house that has been passed down through the family. While a fifth of us say we’ve hung onto a furniture heirloom because they like the look of it and about 14% say there’s a story attached to it.

But while it seems that many of us are furnishing our homes with memories, it could be the end of the line for many items, as a third of people don’t think their kids would want any furniture hand-me-downs!

So is it all the fault of the “Throw Away Generation”? Do the younger generations think doing-up an old tatty sofa is too much hassle and may cost more in the long-run? The study from Plumbs Upholstery has found that two thirds of us say that we tend to keep furniture for up to 10 years – even though some people claim they’re bored of their furniture within 6 months!

It appears that the recession hasn’t put the pinchers on how much we shell out on furniture, with more than half of people saying they spend between £300 and £1,000 per year on furniture and furnishings. But it does seem that the recycling message IS getting through as the statistics show over 40% would consider investing money to bring an item of furniture back to its former glory.

So, do you have a sofa that’s seen the elbows of several generations? Did you have some furniture handed down from parents in your first home that was abandoned in a skip once you started to earn more money? Do you wish you had it now? Or do you think £500 for a three piece suite is such a bargain that the memories don’t count?